The Gymnosperms

Living members of seed plants form 5 major groups: o Cycadophyta (Cycads e.g. Cycas, Zamia, Dioon etc.) o Ginkgophyta (Ginkgo sole member) o Pinophyta (Conifers e.g. Pinus, Podocarpus, Taxus, etc.) o Gnetophyta (Ephedra sole member) o Magnoliophyta (Angiosperms)

The first four are usually referred to as Gymnosperms, which means naked (gymno-) seed (-sperm). The seeds are not enclosed in a carpel (i.e. there is no stigma, style, ovary association) as they are in Angiosperms (angio- meaning vessel, referring to the carpel). All gymnosperms are terrestrial and there are only 15 families, 75-80 genera, and 820 species. This compared to an estimated 450 families, 13,678 genera, and 257,400 species of angiosperms. The evolutionary success of angiosperms over gymnosperms may be attributable to vessels and reproductive features: o All gymnosperms, except Gnetales, have only tracheids in their xylem. Angiosperms and Gnetales have, in addition, vessels that are more effective in water transport. o Angiosperm carpels make possible stigmatic germination of pollen and are variously adapted for the protection of the young ovule and seed dispersal. o Gymnosperms are slow to reproduce; up to a year may pass between pollination and fertilization, and seed maturation may take up to 3 years. Angiosperms, however, reproduce much faster, going from pollination to a seed in a few weeks in some annuals. o Most gymnosperms are pollinated by wind. Angiosperms have several adaptations to animal pollination and as such are able to reproduce in habitats where there is little wind, such as the forest floor.